PSPS Updates: 32k PG&E Customers Without Power Thursday Evening

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — A day after shutting off power for thousands of customers in Northern California customers, Pacific Gas and Electric Co. held a briefing on the Public Safety Power Shutoff Thursday evening.

The utility initiated the power shutoff Wednesday evening due to elevated fire danger in several counties.  As of 6 p.m. Thursday, the utility said around 32,000 customers were without power.

PG&E said its meteorologists recorded wind speeds up to 65 miles per hour in Sonoma County. As the weather improves, ground crews will begin inspecting power lines and re-energizing communities. Meteorologists anticipate two waves of windy weather with peak winds expected from 6 p.m. Thursday through 10 a.m. Friday.

They expect all customers to have power restored by Friday night. Approximately 3,400 miles of power lines need to be inspected.

Earlier Thursday, PG&E said changing forecasts also delayed de-energization for customers in Amador, Calaveras, El Dorado, Placer and Sierra counties until later Thursday. PG&E estimated approximately 4,000 customers in seven counties will lose power later Thursday afternoon.

Customers can check if their home will be affected on the PG&E website. 

On top of the PSPS event for some PG&E customers, the California Independent System Operator (ISO) issued a Flex Alert Thursday from 3 p.m. to 10 pm., urging customers to conserve energy. The grid operator anticipates an increased energy demand due to the hot weather and asked customers to avoid using major appliances during the Flex Alert.

Read more
f

We and our partners use cookies to understand how you use our site, improve your experience and serve you personalized content and advertising. Read about how we use cookies in our cookie policy and how you can control them by clicking Manage Settings. By continuing to use this site, you accept these cookies.